Something called the Mendip Marauder could be off putting to some, but not Gareth James. He completed the 30 mile version of this event on Saturday. The route took him from Wells to Weston-super-Mare with hot weather and over 4000 feet of elevation to deal with along the way.
Describing the race as the most difficult physical thing he’s ever done, Gareth says “I went out a bit too fast at the start. The weather quickly turned hot and baked us alive. It was mostly up or down so there was little consistent running. I had my running poles and they saved the day, got me up the hills and kept me going at the end. 20-25k in was never ending and nearly beat me mentally.”
“A friend came and surprised me at 30k when I was at a particularly low point. That really changed my mood and helped me up the last of the relentless hills. At 10k to go, my body was struggling and my heart rate was at the limit. The last 3k was pole walking as my legs were failing but I managed a run/shuffle for the last kilometre to the finish where I was met and looked after by a friend.”
Gareth, who began his running adventures little over a year ago, was delighted to finish in 38th place.
2nd September, Mendip Marauder, 30 miles, trail
1 Danny Hawkins 4.09.38
38 Gareth James (Cirencester AC) 7.01.34
100 finished
Kate Jacobs continued her recent run of impressive results when she completed the Stroud AC organised race in Woodchester Park. The course is described as challenging and hilly on woodland tracks.
Kate was 4th lady overall and 1st FV45.
3rd September, Woodchester Park, approx 8 miles, trail
1 Matt Hudd (Stroud & District AC) 49.07
13 Kate Jacobs (Cirencester AC) 1.01.39 – 1st FV45 & 4th lady
78 finished
Carole Rayner and Natasha Pauck both had a good run at the Flying Monk 10k, part of the Malmesbury Carnival celebrations. The route is described as undulating, mostly on quiet lanes with an off-road section on the Old Fosse Way.
Carole was 2nd in her FV50 age group.
2nd September, The Flying Monk Malmesbury 10k, 10k, multi terrain
1 Nicholas Grinnell (Neath Harriers) 37.04 chip time
60 Carole Rayner (Cirencester AC) 50.52 – 2nd FV50
74 Natasha Pauck 52.01
187 finished
Club members were out in numbers at various parkruns on Saturday. Check out the long list of results below and you can have a look at results from individual events for more detail……
……but some noteworthy performances……Wendy Nicholls ran her 50th parkrun at Lydiard where she was third lady and topped the age grade league with 85.25%. James Thomas won at Witney. The three junior members of the Stickney family all had great runs at Cirencester, where Joseph and Isabella both ran new PBs. Kate Sackett ran her best time of the year and Ruth Fulford was yet again close to an 80% age grade
Rachel Ranger ran at Seaton on the promenade, flat as a pancake but with some killer sections on the shingle beach. At Seven Fields Colin Tapley had a top twenty finish with his best time there to date. At Tetbury there was a win for Ian Barrett, age group first places for Alan and Rachel McAdam, with Rachel just one second off her PB there. And it was all about the post run breakfast selection for Martin Croucher and Rachel and Paul Barrow after a pre run debate about porridge………no porridge was consumed.
2nd September, parkrun, 5k, trail
Cirencester parkrun
1 Michael Gilbert 17.16
2 Rob Forbes (Cirencester AC) 17.42
4 Joseph Stickney 18.54
7 Isabella Stickney 19.41
13 Robert Stickney 20.48
44 Paul Timms 23.20
62 Tom Morgan 24.59
100 Jocelyn Randall 27.38
109 Pam Wheeler 28.36
127 Gordon Jones 30.04
129 Sam Timms 30.19
159 Gary Wood 33.14
211 finished
Lydiard parkrun
1 Harry Woods 15.43
37 Wendy Nicholls (Cirencester AC) 20.41 – 3rd lady
405 finished
Thornbury parkrun
1 Jonathan Carlin 18.42
74 Ruth Fulford (Cirencester AC) 31.05
103 finished
Stonehouse parkrun
1 Matt Hudd 19.37
7 Kate Sackett (Cirencester AC) 23.24 – 2nd lady
69 finished
Seaton parkrun
1 James Denne 17.12
41 Rachel Ranger (Cirencester AC) 23.34
253 finished
Witney parkrun
1 James Thomas (Cirencester AC) 18.20
206 finished
Tetbury Goods Shed parkrun
1 Ian Barrett (Cirencester AC) 18.05
23 Alan McAdam 24.07
29 Rachel McAdam 24.42
56 Rachel Barrow 28.14
57 Martin Croucher 28.15
107 Paul Barrow 40.34
117 finished
Seven Fields parkrun
1 David Sirrelle 19.24
18 Colin Tapley (Cirencester AC) 23.13
121 Clare Tapley 34.44
156 finished
Please send results to Martin at cirenacresults@gmail.com and reports to Rachel at rachelelisabethbarrow@hotmail.co.uk or via WhatsApp
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